Conventional lighting fixtures for retail and industrial applications often have louvers that are rigidly fastened to the lighting fixture housing. Such installation of the louvers for conventional lighting fixtures requires multiple steps including installing several fasteners through the louvers and into the housing. This installation procedure is slow and inefficient, by requiring an installer to insert numerous fasteners at several locations to secure the louvers to the lighting fixture housing. Additionally, an installer must ensure he has sufficient fasteners to completely secure the louvers to the lighting fixture housing. A need exists for a lighting fixture having a louver assembly that is more easily and efficiently connected to the lighting fixture housing.
Once the louvers are installed, access to the interior of the lighting fixture is prevented by the louver blades. To access the lighting fixture interior, the louvers must be removed from the housing. This is time consuming since there are numerous fasteners that must be removed to detach the louvers from the housing. Furthermore, louvers are secured by fasteners on both sides of the louvers, thereby requiring the installer to remove numerous fasteners to detach the louvers. The removal process is extremely time consuming and inefficient. A need exists for a louver assembly that is quickly and efficiently installed and removed from a lighting fixture.
Another problem with existing louvers is that the installer must use tools to install and remove the louvers. If the installer has no tools or the incorrect tools, then the louvers cannot be installed to or removed from the lighting fixture. Thus, the lighting fixture cannot be completely installed or maintenance on the lighting fixture cannot be performed until the installer has the proper tools. A need exists for a louver assembly that is securable to and removable from a lighting fixture without requiring tools.
Examples of conventional lighting fixtures include U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,234 to Kreeft, U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,654 to Diaz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,654 to Diaz et al., the subject matter of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A need exists for an improved lighting fixture having an easily installed and removed louver assembly.